


Of Funerals and Interrogations

by roguelightning



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: F/M, Teslen Appreciation Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 19:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21202496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguelightning/pseuds/roguelightning
Summary: After giving a speech at Nikola's funeral, Helen draws the attention of an FBI agent.





	Of Funerals and Interrogations

Out of all the people that were in attendance at the funeral, too few knew the redheaded woman who had stepped in front of them. This didn’t stop them from whispering, Helen noted, and, come to think at it, she couldn’t blame them. Nikola wasn’t somebody who had a lot of friends, and he had a lot less lady friends (not that there was a part of her that appreciated that), so her being there was bound to raise a few eyebrows. A short look around the room told her that there more than 1000 people in attendance, and a smile passed her face at that. She had wanted to make a bet with him on how many will actually attend (he didn’t think too many people would give a damn about the whole thing) but changed her mind in the last minute.

As it was, the situation wasn’t bad, though. She was there because she was supposed to be there, because she had to play the part. If anybody had found out that she wasn’t at Nikola’s funeral, they might have came up with stupid and dangerous ideas, like he wasn’t dead or something. He was actually on a ship to London at the time being (he found her joke about vampires being aboard ships going to London way less funnier than she did, but then again he and Dracula went way back and not in a friendly way.) As for what was in the coffin… Nikola had been lucky with that part, actually. She happened to know a shape shifter that had owned her a favor and she had cashed it in.

Of course, she was here in the first place because Nikola had cashed in a favour of his own, but there was a part of her that enjoyed it. She supposed giving a speech to his funeral was a weird way of saying goodbye, but it was something and she needed some closure in the end, so she was going to take it.

“The Egyptians had a very interesting view upon death,” she started, her voice drawing the attention of everyone in attendance. “They said that once you get to the Underworld, you are asked two questions. The answers you give are the ones that decide whether your soul goes to Heaven or not. The first question,” she said, a small smile forming on her lips, “is _Did you bring joy_? I’m not sure whether the Egyptians would say that light and joy are the same thing, but regardless, I hope Nikola will answer yes at this one. What he gave to humanity, to us, and-“ she stopped there for a moment, her voice wavering just a bit – “and to me,” she continued, “are gifts that will live forever in our memories.”

“The second question,” Helen continued, “was, _Did you find joy?_ As far as that one goes, things are more complicated. He used to say that he found joy in science, that there is nothing that can be compared to the joy he feels whenever he makes a new discovery._”_ “I can only hope that was true,” Helen said with a sigh. Actually, last time he had said that, he had kissed her afterwards and added an “except this”, but that was a story that couldn’t be said in public.

“Truth is, Nikola was complicated. I can’t say there was any human that knew him, not fully at least. I was one of the lucky few that could count themselves as his friends. He had moments when he could be a total pain and he had moments when just being around him was a privilege. I had my share of both and I can tell you that both had their own appeal. But both are gone now. I will never see him again and I will never get the chance to be there for him when he needs me. Her voice trembled at that, but she shook the thought of this having an actual chance to be true as fast as she could. “I can only hope that his inventions won’t be forgotten, that every time somebody turns on the light or listens to a radio somewhere, they will remember him. I know I will,” she finished as she stepped down and headed towards the crowd. She tried to get lost in it as fast as she could, but somebody grabbed her from behind.

“Miss Magnus, can I have a word with you?” a man asked on a whispered tone, and she turned around with a threatening look in her eyes.

“Elliot Parker, FBI,” the man continued as he flashed a badge in front of her. “that was a very impressing speech.”

“It’s Dr. Magnus,” Helen sighed. She wasn’t in the mood for this. “Can it wait until after the funeral?”

“I’m afraid not. If you could please go outside with me-“ he said tentatively, and Helen followed him.

“What was your relationship with Dr.Tesla?” the man asked as soon as they got out of the cathedral.

“We were friends,” Helen said, unable to stop a small smile from forming on her face. That was the understatement of the century, but that was everything the FBI needed to know.

“That’s not the story I’ve heard.”

“What story did you hear then, Mr. Parker?” Helen challenged him.

“I heard he was in love with you, actually. Or at least that’s one of the versions I’ve heard. Regardless, the general consensus is that he trusted you with his life, so I was wondering if –“

“I don’t have any papers of his, if this is what you’re asking.”

“That is one of the things I’m asking, yes. Not the most important one, however.”

“Which is?”

“Where is he?”

“In the coffin over there, last time I checked,” Helen said on a sarcastic tone. “And unless you think he can come back from the dead and walk out-“

“You tell me. Can he?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“Dr. Magnus,” the man said on a cold tone. “There is no need to play coy with me. I’ve read about your… field of work, so to speak. You don’t seem the type to befriend a physicist, so I was thinking that Dr. Tesla used to be your patient. So I’m pretty sure he could do some… peculiar things and I’m certain you know everything about it.”

“Even if that were true, you know I can’t talk about my patients.”

“Right, doctor-patient confidentiality and all that. So now you want to respect your oath. Funny.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You do know there is a paragraph in the Hippocratic Oath that says you shouldn’t sleep with your patients, right?”

“I fail to see how that is relevant to our discussion.” Helen’s tone was ice cold now. “As I said, I can’t go into detail about my affairs with Dr. Tesla, so if we’re done here, do you mind if I go back inside? I’d hate to miss too much of the funeral.”

“We’re not even close to being done, Dr. Magnus. But since you mentioned having affairs with Dr. Tesla, I have to ask. Did you sleep with him?”

“What? No.”

“Did you want to?”

“Do we really need to have this talk here?” Helen asked, angrier than ever. So that had struck a chord, the agent thought.

“He was one of the most hunted bachelors of the last decades, so I wouldn’t blame you if you did. In fact, you’re hardly the only woman who wanted that. Question is why none of you succeeded.”

“He was not the type to want that,” Helen shrugged. “I believe he gave an interview on the matter, even, so if you did your homework better-“

“You mean the interview in which he took a jab at married men? I read that. I also read the interview in which he said that women will take over the world one day. I am well aware of how mad he was, I mean aliens, and now this whole death ray business? Frankly, I think this is a waste of time and that his last useful invention was over 40 years ago. But the Bureau sent me to interrogate you and you seem to have known Colonel Blimp there pretty well, so I have to ask. More important, I have to figure out if either you or he is a danger to this country.”

“Nikola was an asset to this country, as long as he lived,” Helen said with a sigh. “But he is dead now, so that is none of your concern anymore. As for me, I can assure you that I only came to America to attend his funeral. As soon as it’s over I’ll be back to Old City and out of your hair, so-“

“Funny how things turn around with men around you, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I did a bit of research on you too. Well, at least with what the MI6 gave us, which is not much. Turns out it’s pretty hard to find somebody there who doesn’t idolatrize you or Mr. Watson and is willing to spill the beans on you, but I did manage to find out a few things. Namely that you have poor taste in men.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Let’s just say that the last criminal you fell in love with lies on the bottom of Thames. Allegedly. And how Dr. Tesla is dead and will be cremated. Which means that his body will also be gone. Again, allegedly. It’s all very convenient, isn’t it?”

“He was nothing like John!” Helen shouted and for once the agent stepped back in fear. From what the MI6 had told him, she was harmless, but she didn’t look like that at all in that moment.

“Then tell me what he was like,” he tried again. “I only want to help you, Dr. And him, should he need it.”

“Am I being charged with something?” Helen asked, her tone sweeter now.

“No,” the agent sighed. “The autopsy determined that he died of natural causes.”

“But I knew the doctor,” Helen smiled, revelation dawning upon her. “And you found that suspicious.”

“Yes.”

“Well I’m sure you’ll figure this out eventually,” she said with a grin. “Oh and Mr. Parker? Tell Edgar I said hi. I’ll be sure to tell him what a determined agent you are next time I see him.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Only if you want it to be,” Helen shrugged and then she left, leaving the agent more dumbfounded than ever.

**Author's Note:**

> For Teslen appreciation week 2019 - Gravity


End file.
